It is well known that by capturing (making still or taking in) an image developed on one screen, an image such as still image is obtained. For example, according to a first literature entitled “A Digital Video Primer. Introduction to Digital Video” (published by Adobe Systems Co. Ltd., Adobe Dynamic Media Group on Apr. 1, 2002, on page 23), a system in which two windows are prepared on one screen, and a normal image is displayed on one window, and a captured image is displayed on the other window.
On the other hand, according to a first patent application related document, Japanese Patent Laying-open No. 2000-259134 [G09G 5/00, G06T 1/00], a technique for associating a captured image with a specific image is disclosed. The technique disclosed in this patent application is associated with a creating skill of a presentation material. By setting a link in a predetermined area of an image for making a presentation, in response to a click operation of a specific position of the image, a detailed image thereof can be viewed.
Furthermore, providing a device with a touch panel overlaying a display screen (e.g., for a PDA, a pocket computer, etc.) is well known. One example of such the device is disclosed in a second patent application related document, Japanese Patent No. 3378801 [G09G 5/14, G06F 3/00, G06F 17/22, G09G 5/00]). An information processing apparatus disclosed therein is switched to a handwriting input screen (second screen) when handwritten characters are input while a normal display screen (first screen) is displayed. The normal display screen is returned—that is, the first screen is displayed after completion of the handwritten input.
However, there is no technique that involves capturing on the other screen an image utilizing a touch panel, and applying the combination to game play. The technique disclosed in the first literature is for editing an image by use of two windows, and cannot be directly utilized for a game.
Furthermore, in the technique disclosed in the first patent application, by directing a specific position of the image, another image is displayed. Even if this is applied to the game, it is merely applicable to switching the game screens.
In addition, the technique disclosed in the second patent application is for merely switching to a screen for inputting characters, etc. by the handwritten input, (that is, the touch panel). Even if this is applied to the game apparatus, it is merely applicable to switching the game screen similar to the above-described first patent application. This is only a switching of screens without the requirement for the touch panel.
Therefore it is a primary feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment to provide a novel game apparatus and storage medium storing a game program.
Another feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a game apparatus and a storage medium storing a game program capable of directing an interest of operation.
A game apparatus according to an exemplary illustrative embodiment is for playing an action game by displaying a game image including a player character and other objects, and includes a first display portion, a second display portion, a touch panel, a first image storing means, a second image storing means, an operation position detecting means, an operating means, a game processing means, a player character displaying means, an object data storing means, an object displaying means, an image capturing means, and an operation position determining means. The first display portion displays a game image. The second display portion is different from the first display portion, and displays a captured image obtained by capturing at least the game image. The touch panel is mounted in relation to the second display portion, and detects operation information. The first image storing means temporarily stores first image data corresponding to the game image. The second image storing means temporarily stores second image data corresponding to the captured image. The operation position detecting means detects a touch operation position on the basis of the operation information detected by a touch operation of the touch panel. The operating means inputs a button operation and a direction instructing operation by a player. The game processing means processes the action game according to an operation by the operating means. The player character displaying means displays the player character on the first display portion according to an operation by the operating means. The object data storing means stores object data including at least kind data and display position data as to the object. The object displaying means displays the object on the first display portion in correspondence with progress of the action game by the game processing means. The image capturing means copies and stores in the second image storing means the first image data stored in the first image storing means as second image data according to the operating means. The operation position determining means, after the first image data stored in the first image storing means is copied and stored as the second image data in the second image storing means, determining whether or not the touch operation position detected by the operation position detecting means is within a display area of the object displayed on the second display portion on the basis of the object data stored by the object data storing means. Then, the object displaying means controls display of the object on the first display portion on the basis of a determination result of the operation position determining means.
More specifically, the game apparatus (10: a reference numeral corresponding in the “preferred embodiment” described later and so forth) is for playing a game by displaying the game image (200) including the player character (202) and the other objects (204). The game image (200) is displayed on the first display portion (12). The second display portion (14) is separately provided from the first display portion, and displays the still image obtained by capturing the game image (200), that is, the captured image (210). In relation to the second display portion (14) (more specifically, formed in a laminated manner so as to cover the second display portion), touch panel (22) is provided, and the touch panel (22) detects the operation information (touch operation information) such as of which place the player touches the touch panel. The first image storing means (56) temporarily stores the first image data corresponding to the game image (200). The second image storing means (58) temporarily stores the second image data corresponding to the captured image (210). The operation position detecting means (42) detects the touch operation position on the basis of the operation information detected by the touch operation of the touch panel (22). The operating means (20) inputs the button operation (jumping operation of a character, for example) and the direction instructing operation (moving the character horizontally, for example). The game processing means (42, S3) processes an action game according to the operation of the operating means (20); the player character displaying means (42, S3) displays the player character (202) on the first display portion (12) according to the operation of the operating means (20). The object data storing means (42,48,72,106, S33) stores the object data including at least kind data of the object and the display position data. That is, the game image (200) is captured. The object displaying means (42, S15) displays the object (204) on the first display portion (12) in correspondence with the progress of the action game by the game processing means (42, S3). The image capturing means (42, 50, 52, S13) copies and stores in the second image storing means (58) the first image data stored in the first image storing means (56) as the second image data according to the operation of the operating means (20). The operation position determining means (42, S47), after capturing, determines whether or not the touch operation position detected by the operation position detecting means (42) is within the display area of the object (204) displayed on the second display portion on the basis of the object data (displayed position data) stored in the object data storing means (42, 48, 72,106, S33). The object displaying means (42, S15) controls display of the object (204) on the first display portion (12) on the basis of the determination result by the operation position determining means (42, S47).
According to an exemplary illustrative embodiment, a content of the operation of the captured image displayed on the second display portion by use of the touch panel is reflected on the game image displayed on the first display portion (that is, the game play), and a novel game operation can be realized.
In one exemplary illustrative embodiment of this invention, the object displaying means displays in a static manner the object corresponding to the display area on the first display portion when a determination result by the operation position determining means shows within the display area. More specifically, the object displaying means (42, S15) displays in a static manner the object corresponding to the display area on the first display portion (12) when a determination result by the operation position determining means (42, S47) shows within the display area. That is, a content of the operation of the captured image displayed on the second display portion (14) by use of the touch panel (22) is reflected on the game play. That is, by touching (directing) the object displayed on the second display portion, it becomes possible to display the object in a static manner in the first display portion. For example, when a player finds it difficult to play the game due to a heavy attack from the enemy character, by performing a capture operation such as depressing (directing) an obstructive enemy character via the touch panel, the enemy character on the game image is frozen. This allows the player to realize clear a game by the capture operation, and to feel a novel sense of operation.
In one aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, the game apparatus further comprises an operation position storing means for storing the touch operation position detected by the operation position detecting means when a determination result by the operation position determining means shows up within the display area; and a comparing means for comparing a current touch operation position and a previous touch operation position that are stored by the operation position storing means; wherein the object displaying means displays in a static manner the object corresponding to the display area on the first display portion when a comparison result of the comparing means shows a coincidence, and displays in an incomplete manner the object corresponding to the display area on the first display portion such that a portion equal to a line segment connecting at least the previous touch operation position and the current touch operation position is incomplete when the comparison result by the comparing means shows inconsistency.
More specifically, the game apparatus (10) further comprising an operation position storing means (42, 110, S45) and a comparing means (42, S49). The operation position storing means (42, 110, S45) stores the touch operation position detected by the operation position detecting means (42) when a determination result by the operation position determining means (42, S47) shows within a display area. The comparing means (42, S49) compares the current touch operation position and the previous touch operation position that are stored in the operation position storing means (42,110, S45). The object displaying means (42, S15) displays in a static manner the object (204) corresponding to the display area on the first display portion (12) when the comparison result by the comparing means (42, S49) shows coincidence (“NO” in S51). On the other hand, when the comparison result by the comparing means (42, S49) shows inconsistency (“YES” in S51), the object (204) corresponding to the display area is displayed in an incomplete manner on the first display portion (12) such that the portion equal to the line segment connecting at least the previous touch operation position and the current touch operation position is incomplete. It is noted that the object (204) can be entirely erased. Thus, by operating the object displayed on the second display portion with the use of the touch panel, the object displayed on the first display portion can be frozen, erased, and so forth. This allows the player to feel a novel sense of operation, and the enjoyment of the game can be improved.
Another exemplary illustrative embodiment, wherein the object data storing means stores the object data respectively corresponding to a plurality of kinds of the objects, further comprises an object kind specifying means for specifying a kind of the object on the basis of the object data of the object that is determine to be within the display area by the operation position determining means; wherein the object displaying means controls display of the object with the kind specified by the object kind specifying means on the first display portion. More specifically, the object data storing means (42, 48, 72, 106, S33) stores the object data respectively corresponding to the plurality of kinds of the objects. The object kind specifying means (42) specifies the kind of the object (204) on the basis of the object data (kind data) of the object (204) that is determined to be within display area (“YES” in S47) by the operation position determining means (42, S47). The object displaying means (42, S15) controls display of the object with the kind specified by the object kind specifying means (42). Thus, in a case where the plurality of kinds of enemy characters exist, the player has to select which enemy character is to be frozen, and a strategy for the game can be required.
In another aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, a capturable number of times storing means for storing a limited number of times of copying of the first image data by the image capturing means; a counting means for counting the number of times of copying of the first image data by the image capturing means; and an inactivating means for inactivating the image capturing means when the number of times of copying is above the capturable number of times are provided. More specifically, the capturable number of times storing means (48, 72) stores the limited number of times of copying of the first image data by the image capturing means (42, 50, 52, S13). The counting means (42, S11) counts the number of times of copying of the first image data by the image capturing means (42, 50, 52, S13). The inactivating means (42) inactivates the image capturing means (42, 50, 52, S13) when the number of times of copying is above the capturable number of times (“NO” in S7). That is, the capturing is hampered. Thus, the capture operation is limited, and therefore, it is possible to specify that the game cannot be progressed with a simple operation only. That is, in a case of performing the capture operation also, the player has to think about the strategy, and the enjoyment of the game can be improved.
A storage medium stores a game program according to an exemplary illustrative embodiment, and the game program is executed by the game apparatus. The game apparatus is for playing an action game by displaying a game image including a player character and other objects, and includes a first display portion, a second display portion, a touch panel, a first image storing means, a second image storing means, and an operating means. The first display portion displays the game image. The second display portion is different from the first display portion, and displays a captured image obtained by capturing at least the game image. The touch panel is mounted in relation to the second display portion, and detects the operation information. The first image storing means temporarily stores first image data corresponding to the game image. The second image storing means temporarily stores second image data corresponding to the captured image. Then, the operating means inputs the button operation and the direction instructing operation by the player.
The game program causes a processor of the game apparatus to execute an operation position detecting step, a game processing step, a player character displaying step, an object displaying step, an image capturing step, an object data storing step, and an operation position determining step. The operation position detecting step detects the touch operation position on the basis of the operation information detected by the touch operation of the touch panel. The game processing step processes the action game according to the operation of the operating means. The player character displaying step displays the player character on the first display portion according to the operating means. The object displaying step displays the object on the first display portion in correspondence with progress of the action game by the game processing step. The image capturing step copies and stores in the second image storing means the first image data stored in the first image storing means as second image data according to the operation of the operating means. The object data storing step stores object data including at least kind data and display position data as to the object when the first image data stored in the first image storing means is copied as the second image data in the second image storing means. The operation position determining step, after the first image data stored in the first image storing means is copied and stored as the second image data in the second image storing means, determines whether or not the touch operation position detected by the operation position detecting step is within a display area of the object displayed on the second display portion on the basis of the object data stored by the object data storing step. Then, the object displaying step controls display of the object on the first display portion on the basis of a determination result of the operation position determining step.
In the storage medium of an exemplary illustrative embodiment also, similar to the above-described game apparatus, a content of the operation of the captured image displayed on the second display portion by use of the touch panel is reflected on the game image displayed on the first display portion, that is, the game play, and therefore, a novel game operation can be realized.